I was just wondering if any one on this forum might know where a "good" quality "survival" knife could be found. I need a knife that will really take a beating and keep on "being a knife". Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...sabre11004...

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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!

I dont personally own one, but one like it.. The Ka-Bar USMC knife is one of the best all around knifes i think. It may be a little big but even on little trips, i have my hunting knife which is similar, and a small knife. If you go to an army-navy store, they sell "survival" knifes with the screw off caps and store stuff inside. I'm intending to get one soon so i'll let you know how that works out.

You really have to be careful about "survival knives" that have storage in the handle. The problem with them is that the blade is made without a shank and is thus not supported by the handle. I have seen many of this kind of knife break at the handle/blade junction; this is an unavoidable weakness of this type of knife, even those of otherwise good quality. Also, since most of these knives are designed to be sold at a fairly low price, the steel is generally of low grade and the workmanship is of mediocre quality, at best.

Personally, I would get a quality knife with a 3" laminated steel blade such as those by Brusletto of Norway. These blades hold an exceedingly sharp edge very well. I would carry my other survival gear in a sheath pouch or some other small pocket; not in the knife handle. RayWay sells a knife kit and a sheath kit featuring this type of blade. See:

I think that I mentioned that I need a knife that will "take a beating and keep on being a knife". I might use it to split wood with or I might use to clean my finger nails with. I need something that I can hit with a hammer or just keep it in it's sheath all day. I need something tough and versatile. A good all around "knife". I think that budget wise I would like to stay under $150.00. I have been looking today and I think that I like that K-Bar the best, but the again, I am open to suggestions...sabre11004...

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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!

A three inch blade would not be big enough for what I intend to use it for. This needs to be a "do all, is all" "tool". That's the only way that I will spend the money on a knife.Three inches would seem like a toy for what I intend to use it for so I will probably stay away from any thing that small...sabre11004

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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!

Sabreyou don't need the knife, its just a toy, so go with the best meanest heaviest there is, get the Kabar ... preferably an old one made with carbon steel, the real deal. I had one - traded it for a skate board...Jim

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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.

Sabreyou don't need the knife, its just a toy, so go with the best meanest heaviest there is, get the Kabar ... preferably an old one made with carbon steel, the real deal. I had one - traded it for a skate board...Jim

I am of a like mind with Pika. I would go with a laminated carbon steel Mora. I think big knives (anything over 4" blade) are way, way overrated. If I am going to chop something, for equal weight and much greater efficiency, I prefer a hatchet, probably combined with a lightweight collapsible saw. The only time I ever needed tools like that was when brushing out a LZ for a helo, hardly an everyday task.

If I am going to be digging, rather than abuse a knife, I just carry one of several pry bars. Your home center will have lots to choose from.

sabre, the reason I asked is because you can't have everything in one tool. When you get one that is good at one task, it isn't so good at another. It is all a compromise. So, you really have to narrow down what is more important to you. A mora is really good at carving tasks, but a little small to baton large pieces of wood. Although it can baton and split wood, just not large pieces. A kabar is too big for good carving, but batons fairly well.

It sounds like you want a kabar. Other brands to look at: Cold Steel, Kabar, RAT cutlery.

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I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.

You can also baton and split a stave to make a survival bow. But, a mora can do that, because the stave is usually not that thick. Other than that, batoning is solely for fire wood (others might have more uses). When the outside is too wet, you might be able to get dry stuff inside.

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I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.

Really the only reason that I asked was that I have had this really old knife (friends tell me it is military survival) that I have used for every thing. I especially like to split wood with it, but then if an axe can become a better option, I am all about change. I kinda like the idea of an "AXE"...sabre11004...

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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!

When lighting a fire in damp conditions, I will do one of two things, break the dead wood by 1)jumping on it or dropping a rock on it, or 2) prop up moist pieces next to the fire to dry out before they are added to the flames.

Most of my experience has been in western conifer forests. I might have to do something different in other environments....

I was just wondering if any one on this forum might know where a "good" quality "survival" knife could be found. I need a knife that will really take a beating and keep on "being a knife". Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...sabre11004...

This might be what you are looking for:http://www.1sks.com/store/cold-steel-srk.htmlI have used the CS Master Hunter (carbon steel) for several years in hunting season with complete satisfaction. It is a smaller knife than the SRK.

Yes, that is very similar to the knife that I looked at by Cold Steel..The price is right but it is not quite as big as I would like. The knife that I am using now seems a little bigger...sabre11004...

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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!

You started to make some sense for a while, what happened? just kidding - sort of.Hey why don't you actually go try to split some wood with a knife? Been there, gave that up. Seriously though a light "skinning" hatched used to disjoint big game can split small stuff and hold and edge that makes the blade like an Ulu knife. Hey I loved my kabar, but I was never able to split wood with it and the whole idea of a survival knife is kinda silly, it won't help you survive unless yer in enemy territoy. A sawvivor folding saw would be more helpful as would a cruiser axe. For my money, I was relly in deep doodoo in the middle of nowhere, I'd prefer a real axe over anything.Jim

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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.

For my money, I was relly in deep doodoo in the middle of nowhere, I'd prefer a real axe over anything.Jim

And assuming I don't have a "real" axe and need to carry something small and portable, I'd go for a 17 inch fiskars splitting axe. cheap, indestructible, and a lot more useful than a rambo knife.

I'd combine that with a nice sharp folding knife in my pocket, even something as small as my little opinel folder.

I'd rather have those two than a rambo knife any day.

to put it bluntly. if I were dropped in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the clothing on my back. my choice of things I would probably most like to have with me would be the axe, and then the small knife, in order, and right behind a bic lighter.

IMO you should look at a Becker BK-9, < $100.00 ( $85.00 I think)It has the weight to use as a chopper plus decent carbon steel.In reality tho you should have two knives, your big whacker and a smaller pocket knife, SAK Rucksak.